Ignition device.



A. mcKERsoN. mmsou DEVICE... APPLICATION FILED SEPT. |7.191T

` Ifatented Jn. 22, 1918.

ATTRNEX A. DICKEHSON. IGNITIUN D'EvlcE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 17| 19H'.

Patented Jn.22,1918.

INVENTOR 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

` ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT oEEicE.

ARTHUR DICKERSON, 0F SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, ASSIGNOR TO DICKERSON MANUFAC- TUBING COMPANY, 0F SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, A CORPORATION.

IGNITION DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 22, 1918.

Application led September 17, 1917. Serial No. 191,882.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, Anrnrm citizen of the United States, residin Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt ake and State of Utah, have invented certain new and useful -Improvements in Ignition Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My Ainvention relates to ignition devices for internal combustion engines and has f r its object to provide an ignition devi e whereby a low tension electrlc circuitl` ay be chan ed and lthevoltage increased Vn automatically l distributed and timed t cause the ignition of the compressed gases in the respective cylinders with less wiring, fewer parts and economy of space, cost of construction and intricacy of adjustment now in use, and particularly to provide a compact device whereby one coil may be used with a source oi current and the in creased voltage distributed and' timed to cause the i ition ofthe compressed gases in any num er of the co-acting cylinders.

These objects I accomplish with the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which similar letters and numerals DICKERsoN, a

yof reference ndicatelikeparts throughout the several figures as descnbed in the specilication forming a and pointed out in t e appended claims.

In the drawin s in which I have shown a substantial em odiment of my invention Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a four cylinder internal combustion engine with my device in place thereon. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the'contact arm. Fig 3 is a side elevation of the distrbuter case a por tion shown in section and a portion in dot ted lines. Fig. 4 is an end view showing the interior of said easing. Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the cap for said casing. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of said cap and lead wires, portions shown in section. Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the distributer diskn Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the distributer disk and operating shaft. Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section of the timer somewhat enlarged from the other figures. Fig. 10 is a detail in section of one of the timer nuts and low tension post. Fig'. 11 is a detail in section of the contact thimble. Fig. 12 is a detail in section of the insulating tube. Fig. 13 is a detail'in section of the threaded sleeve and part of this application post holder. Fig. 14 is a detail in section of the contact plunger. l l Y y In the drawings illustra-tin my device a diagrammatic engine havin lioureylinder's is shown as A and as will e obvious with but slightl changes my device ma Y be used on engines of more or less cylin ers. The

source of the electric energy is shown as a battery B and the single induction coil used is shown at C. The individual spark plugs are shown as l, 2, 3, and 4 respectively and the timing shaft of the engine is shown at D. On the en d of saidshaft D is secured and operated therewith a sprocket wheel 5. My'device is mounted on the upper side. of the engine by means of the bar 9 and the T-shaped bearing ost 10. An operating sha-ft 8 is horizonte' ly mounted in said bearing post l0 and on the end portion of said shaft is secured the sprocket wheel 6 which is connected with the other sprocket wheel 5 by the chain belt 7. An oil cup 12 is provided for lubricating said shaft 8.

A Vdistributer rotor 13 made of insulating material issecured on the end of said shaft 8 and is given substantially a. square form with each corner cut off in circular-form as at 14. A recess 15, extending from the axisof said rotor 13 to one of said circular corners 14, is cut in the outer face of said rotor 13, and a Contact arm 16 is carried in said recess with aspring behind said arm to keep said arm yielding-ly flush with the face of said disk at all times. A' distributor case 18, made of insulating material, is loosely carried on the endportion of said shaft 8 and is kept from revolving with i while the wire e is connected with the secondary of said coil C. Contact screws a', b', c', d and e are the means I use to hold said wires in 'said cap 20 and the said arm 16 contacts with said wires when said cap is made to rotate, electrically ooni l l o ted within said thimble 25. The said -s eeve 24 is electrically grounded' through the post'l and has a radially extended in 27 therein by means of which the spar may be advanced or-retarded by slightly rotating -said casing 18 on the shaft 8. A contact lunger 28 is operated within an axial open lng 29 in said sleeve 24', which opening has a. 4narrowed neck as shown at 30 forming a shoulder in said opening *29 and' against which a spring 31 bears. 'A shoulder 32 is formed on the said contact plunger 28 and said spring 31 operates between said shoullders 30 and 32.

4The operation of my device is as follows: I use 'an induction coil C, ofany of the Well known makes; and with electric energy developed by the battery B the device is grounded through the bearingpost 10 by means of a wire f which connects said bearing post 10 and the said contact sleeve 24.

Then the engine A-is operated the said shaft 8 is made to rotate through the sprocket Wheels 5 and 6 and chain belt '7, and as said shaft 8 is rotated the distributer rotor 13 carrying the arm 1G is likewise rotated within the said case 18. -The contact screws a, o and d are respectively brought in touch with the said arms 16 and as it is in touch at all rimes with the central and high tension wire e through the contact screw e', the secondary orhigh tension cur rent is carried` through the spark plugsl and fires the respect-ivel cylinders whenever the arm 16 connects one ot said contact screws a', b', c or d as controlled by the timer element E. The larger end of said plunger 28 extends without the sleeve 24 and bears against the irregular periphery. of the rotor 132 and when the annular portions 14 of sald rotor are in touch with said plunger 28 the secondary of the coil is established tit ugh the particular spark plug that is zrctrieal contact through the arm 1G and its Wire, and firing occurs in the cylinder Within which the spark plug is secured. The order of firing is controlled by the placing of the lead wires a, Z1 c, and d.- Should the operator desire to advance or retard the spark, for instance to retard it, to prevent back firing of the engine, he will move the pin, 27 by its connections with levers not shown, in the direction that the timing shaft VD is rotated in order that the plunger 28 Will not reach one of said fiat faces on -the rotor asquickly as when the members are in their normal position.

Having thus described my invention I desire to secure by Letters Patent and claim l 1. The combination with a rotatable shaft, of a distributer rotor secured on the end of said shaft having portions of its periphery annular and other portions Hat and with a radially disposed recess eut in its end face; a distributer arm carried in said recess; an insulating casing within which the said rotor is operated; a cap for said casing; conductorrwires secured in said cap against which said arm is adapted to bear; and a timer element carried in the periphery of said casing consisting of a sleeve, a nut; an insulating tube connecting said sleeve and nut, a contact thimble carried in said nut,

la contact plunger carried in said sleeve rotor is operated; conductors in the'end of said casing against which said arm is adapted to beail when contiguous; a sleeve sccured in the periphery of said casing; a nut carrying a .contact post; an insulating tube connecting said sleeve and said nut; a contact thimble carried in said nut; a plun` ger carried in said sleeve with one end portion bearing against said rotor and the other end adapted to bear against said thimblc at intervals when said rotor is operated to form a high tension circuit including said coil and the spark plugs of said engine.

In testimony? whereof I have aiiixed my 

